2006 PBI Honor Roll is Announced
Thirty Chicago law firms and twelve corporations will be recognized for their pro bono contributions at the PILI Annual Awards Luncheon on December 7th. Of the fifty-nine law firms and corporate in-house legal departments that responded to PBI's annual pro bono survey, 3,984 attorneys reported handling pro bono cases totaling 271,087 hours. An additional 58,013 hours were contributed by 1,527 non-attorney staff. The law firm of Jenner & Block will receive this year’s Pro Bono Initiative Award in recognition of its substantial contributions to pro bono.

View the 2006 PBI Honor Roll.

McDermott, Will & Emery Recognizes Firm Member's Pro Bono and Community Service
On October 11th, McDermott, Will & Emery held its first Pro Bono and Community Service Appreciation Reception. McDermott recognized five of its employees for their pro bono or community service work. Associate Linda Lamberson worked on the pro bono and community service committee and helped launch the firm’s Kids First Program. Partner Josh Buchman coordinated the firm’s efforts in defending death row inmates and advocates for prisoner rights. Dave Ramirez served as an elementary school tutor through the firm’s Partners in Reading Program. Associate Natalie Nathanson helped to start the firm’s partnership with Tax Assistance Program, which uses volunteers to prepare tax returns for low-income individuals and families. She is also a tutor in the Partners in Reading Program. Maryanne Adams was recognized for her efforts as a tutor, for promoting the firm's pro bono and community service efforts, and for coordinating the production of a training manual for the National Children’s Law Network.

Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw Holds its Annual Pro Bono Luncheon with Special Guest Speaker
Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw held its Annual Pro Bono Luncheon on October 19th. At the event, Richard Williamson received the Annual Award and participants in three pro bono projects were recognized. Mayer Brown honored the thirty-two individuals who contributed their time and skills to the pro bono projects with the Corporation for Supportive Housing, Seventh Circuit Project and Northside College Preparatory High School. Vikram Akula was the featured speaker at the luncheon. Mr. Akula is a pro bono client of the firm and Founder and CEO of SKS Microfinance of India. SKS provides a broad range of financial services tailored to the needs of the poor, including small loans to help poor families acquire income-generating assets or to grow their business. Mr. Akula was introduced by former PILI Fellow, Paul Breloff, who completed his Fellowship at SKS in India.

Each month, this newsletter will feature a selection of pro bono opportunities. To list your opportunity, send it electronically to mbergmann@pili-law.org. Please limit descriptions to 150 words. Opportunities must be submitted by the 20th of the month to appear in the next month's e-newsletter.

Midwest Tax Clinic Seeks Volunteer Attorneys
The Midwest Tax Clinic, a program of the Center for Economic Progress, seeks pro bono volunteers to assist low-income clients in resolving tax controversies with the IRS. Volunteer attorneys agree to take 1-2 cases per year. Case types typically include Offers in Compromise, Audit Reconsiderations, Innocent Spouse filings and representation in current year examinations. Some cases may require a filing to US Tax Court but most are resolved administratively with the IRS.

Volunteers work at their own offices with clients who are referred by the Clinic. Training will be held on Saturday November 18th, 2006 at the Center's offices, located at 29 E. Madison. To register for training and become a volunteer, email: rpalacios@centerforprogress.org or call 312-360- 0274.

Community Economic Development Law Project Seeks Transactional Attorney Volunteers
The Community Economic Development Law Project (CEDLP) is one of several programs of the Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (CLCCRUL), which was founded in 1969 as a cooperative effort of Chicago's leading law firms. In 1985, attorneys identified a gap in the delivery of legal services to poor communities and CEDLP was initiated to provide pro bono legal representation to nonprofit groups involved in community based development. CEDLP volunteers have worked with over 1,200 organizations to build affordable housing, shelters for the homeless and victims of domestic violence, set up job training programs, create micro-loan funds, and to consult with nonprofit organizations that work to promote economic empowerment.

CEDLP continues to provide pro bono legal services to community organizations and has expanded its program to provide pro bono legal services to low–income entrepreneurs as well as providing pro bono attorneys for residential real estate closings to Housing Choice Voucher holders under the “Choose To Own” Program. The staff at CEDLP works with its clients to identify their specific transactional legal needs and recruits volunteer attorneys to work with the clients. If you are a transactional attorney looking for an opportunity to use your legal skills, contact CEDLP to learn about opportunities to work on corporate, tax, employment, intellectual property, finance, zoning, residential real estate and commercial real estate law issues. Interested volunteers may contact CEDLP by email at cedlp@cedlp.org.

Cabrini Green Legal Aid Seeks Volunteer Attorneys
Cabrini Green Legal Aid Clinic (CGLA) provides free legal services to Chicago’s low-income residents in the areas of criminal, family, and housing law. CGLA also helps individuals clear their criminal records by applying for expungement, sealing and executive clemency. Volunteer attorneys generally begin by conducting intake interviews or volunteering at the expungement help desk. Training is provided for each opportunity.

Intake Interviews: Interviewing potential clients about their case and presenting the cases at one of the weekly staff meetings. Interviews are scheduled in 2-hour blocks during office hours (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.). Intake meetings are on Thursdays at 2 p.m. and Fridays at 1 p.m..

Expungement Help Desk: Meeting with clients to provide information on expungement, sealing, and clemency. Volunteer attorneys read rap sheets and assist eligible individuals in completing the forms. The Help Desk is located on the 10th floor of the Daley Center and is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. until noon.

Other Opportunities: Jail Intakes, Case Assistance, Clemency Petitions.

For More Information: Contact Elizabeth Shelleby at 312/266-1345 or elizabethshelleby@cgla.net.

Citizen Advocacy Center Seeks Law Student and Attorney Volunteers
The Citizen Advocacy Center is a non-profit, non-partisan, community based legal organization with a mission to build democracy for the 21st Century. The Center is in need of assistance from dedicated law students and pro bono attorneys who will help to ensure that individuals and community groups have a voice in government decision-making and work to dismantle policies that deter public participation in policy making. Pro bono assistance may involve providing representation or answering questions regarding public access to the democratic process. The Center regularly addresses issues involving the Freedom of Information Act, the Open Meetings Act, the First Amendment, Election Law, Tax Increment Financing, as well as dozens of other subjects. The Center engages in impact litigation to reform unjust policies or practices and is always interested in pro bono assistance in such cases. For more information, contact Director and Community Lawyer, Terry Pastika, at 630/833-4080, or email cac@citizenadvocacycenter.org.

Pro Bono Center for Disability and Elder Law Seeks Attorney Volunteers
Volunteers at the Pro Bono Center for Disability and Elder Law have an opportunity to work in virtually any area of law – ranging from bankruptcy to mediation to complex litigation – and help to protect and advance the legal rights of low-income elderly and persons with disabilities. Since 1984, more than 1,300 volunteers (including solos, corporate counsel, and partners at global law firms) have committed their time, counsel, and resources working with hundreds of clients in need. Staff work closely with volunteers to make the best use of volunteer time, experience, and interests. Practical training, expert one to one mentoring case management and coordination, and client follow-up are provided to make volunteer time client-focused, productive, and as effective as possible. Volunteer opportunities provide experience and skills that can enhance professional development and expand involvement with co-counsel, businesses, and legal providers. For more information, contact Jann Dragovich-Stulberg at 312/908-4463.

Pro Bono Reporting in Upcoming Annual Attorney Registration
On June 14, 2006, Illinois became one of only five states to institute a pro bono reporting requirement in the annual attorney registration process. This information will be collected by the ARDC during the annual attorney registration process beginning with the 2007 registration. Registration materials have already been mailed by the ARDC.

Click here to learn more about the new rule and reporting.

Cook County State’s Attorney Richard Devine to Keynote at PILI Annual Awards Luncheon
Each year, PILI’s Annual Awards Luncheon gathers more than 450 members of the legal community to celebrate the best aspects of the profession. This year’s event will be held on December 7, 2006 at the Fairmont Hotel. The event is a forum to recognize those performing remarkable public interest and pro bono work. Several awards acknowledge those whose work epitomizes the ideal of access to justice for all.

Randolph N. Stone, University of Chicago Professor of Law, will receive the Distinguished Public Service Award, which honors an individual whose commitment to public interest work has shaped a career dedicated to service. The Distinguished Alumni Awards recognize a former PILI Intern and Fellow for outstanding contributions of public interest and pro bono work and will be given to Jean Choi and Eric J. Gorman. Jenner & Block is this year’s recipient of the Pro Bono Initiative Award, which acknowledges a single law firm or corporation for unprecedented pro bono work in the community.

Learn More About PILI Annual Awards Luncheon.

PBI to Revise Pro Bono Manual
PBI has developed a collection of model pro bono policies from law firms and in-house legal departments, basic forms (including retainer agreements, procedures for opening pro bono files, and conflicts of interest checks), and information on malpractice insurance. This information is complied in the PBI Pro Bono Manual and is available to firms and corporations looking to start or remodel a pro bono program. PBI is now in the process of updating this valuable resource. If you have comments or suggestions as to how to improve the Pro Bono Manual, please contact PBI Director, Michael Bergmann. With the help of PBI constituent firms, corporations and legal aid agencies, the new Pro Bono Manual will be released in March, 2007.

Directory of Summer Associate Pro Bono Opportunities Now Available
The 2006 Directory of Summer Associate Pro Bono Opportunities at Chicago Law Firms is now available for download.

View the Directory.

Inspiring Pro Bono Story Featured at Pro Bono Week Kick-off
When Dr. Y., a physician from Iraq, witnessed the first U.S. troops enter Mosul, he felt hopeful about the future of his country and wanted to get involved with the U.S. efforts for his country’s future. With his fluency in English and medical background, he was a valuable asset to the United States. Dr. Y. began serving as a high level interpreter and medical liaison for the Coalition Forces and his duties quickly expanded. Ultimately, his outstanding service was recognized by some of the highest ranking U.S. officers in Iraq, who awarded him a Combat Excellence Award.

While he remains very proud of his contribution to the rebuilding of Iraq, these activities ultimately placed Dr. Y. and his family in extreme danger. Dr. Y. was able to cope with certain threats during the early part of his service, but as the insurgency expanded, the dangers became overwhelming. Finally, in the autumn of 2004, a group of armed insurgents came to capture Dr. Y. at his house, and he and his family were forced to run for their lives. After a tumultuous period of traveling and hiding, they fled to the United States. They came to Chicago and contacted a pro bono organization in Chicago. With the assistance of volunteer lawyers and staff from the National Immigrant Justice Center, Dr. Y. and his wife and two young children obtained political asylum from the Department of Homeland Security. He is currently a visiting lecturer and researcher for a law school in Chicago.

Dao Boyle, one of the volunteer attorneys who assisted Dr. Y. and his family is a partner at the law firm of Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP. Mr. Boyle has represented on a pro bono, or volunteer, basis eight asylum seekers from Iran, Iraq and Venezuela, seeking protection from human rights violations in their home countries.

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In each edition, this section features stories written by pro bono attorneys about their pro bono experiences as well as perspectives from firms, corporations and legal aid agencies. Please consider submitting an article for an upcoming e-newsletter. Articles should be no more than 300 words and may be submitted electronically to mbergmann@pili-law.org.